Dispatcher Gathers Sufficient Petitions for Vote

A Bangor (Maine) public safety dispatcher has turned in additional petition signatures to the city clerk, qualifying his referendum on merging the city comm center with Penobscot County for a vote by citizens. The city council voted last October to close the city center and merge later this year. Bangor is the only city in the county with its own comm center. A consultant hired by the state in 2009 recommended the state move to a one-center-per-county comm center requirement. Bangor dispatcher Jim Morrill was the point person for a group of dispatchers and citizens who believe the city should not merge the comm center with Penobscot County. Morrill spoke during city council meetings and circulated a petition to put a referendum on the ballot that would reverse the council’s decision. Earlier this month he turned in his petitions, but the city clerk could not validate the required number of signatures. Morrill was given additional time, and has now submitted an additional batch of petitions that qualifies the referendum for a vote. Read more about the original council vote here.